Post navigation

Silencing 1217: The State of Braelin

Sudden quiet has settled over Éras following the ascension of Jintaru Riga to the Braelinese throne. Their decisive action and apparent diplomacy have ended the many wars that threatened to tear the world to pieces. But their reign has also ushered in a time of change.

Though most Braelinese citizens are cautiously optimistic about the new monarch, segments of the population express concern over Their Majesty’s recent decrees. Everyone seems to have an opinion—to trust the Purple God’s wisdom, or to point out the god’s past mistakes; to hail the academies as a welcome equalizing force, or to decry them as tools intended to shape the beliefs of Braelin’s youths; to celebrate a chance to learn about a new country and people, or to resist the imposition of Caprinan philosophies and ethics onto Braelinese society… In short, whether to praise Jintaru Riga or reject them. Nevertheless, no one has taken action to remove the monarch from the throne—yet.

Meanwhile, messengers from Revma travel the country with this announcement: the government will subsidize town officials and select Zikarian citizens to travel on the first ships to Caprina. Private individuals are not permitted to anchor in Caprinan waters until summertime, to prevent the island from being overwhelmed by foreign visitors. Though merchants grumble about this delay, none are wasting any time in preparing their wares.

The newly independent Archduchy of Gavell is working on rebuilding, stabilizing its internal politics, and making arrangements for displaced noble loyalist families. While these families debate how to proceed, loyalists living in what remains of Braelinese Gavell face yet another a crisis of identity: what to call their much-reduced duchy now that the traitorous House Gavell has assumed control of the Archduchy. By decree of Their Majesty Jintaru Riga, Jonathon Fonteyn and his wife, Leda, will serve as the new Duke and Duchess of Braelinese Gavell. Which family will rise to take the Fonteyns’ place in ruling county Fonteyn has yet to be decided.

A second appointment in the annexed Braelinese territory beyond the Caxton Wall! Their Majesty Jintaru Riga has asked Verine Lyfeld, erstwhile baroness of a staunch anti-rebel house in Eston, to rule as duchess. Their decision to appoint Lyfeld has been widely praised. Upon accepting the office, Duchess Lyfeld announced that her new duchy would not be called Lyfeld, as many expected, but rather Durant. She has designated a piece of land outside the ruins of Ülló to hold her capital city, which will be named Honore, and invites her fellow loyalist Gavellese to join her in forging life anew.

Yet as different as life in Braelin may seem, the eastern parts of Éras have undergone a greater change. Where one united empire entered the war, three countries have emerged!

Seren’s emperor has at last been overthrown by young warrior Koppány Biró. Despite fears that a new ruler might threaten the Braelin-Seren accord, Biró has focused inward to shore up his position and to take stock of the devastating losses his country has sustained.

Along the western coastline, the Free Nation of Zála stands like a beacon for the oppressed. Its fortifications built, the Zálans have elected three Councilors—Szandra Takács, Valéria Király, and Móric Pintér—to preside over a government they call a “republic.” Absurdly, they intend to allow every Zálan citizen over age 16 to vote directly on legislation and executive bills. This is, of course, a preposterous way to run a country, but most Braelinese have adopted a bemusedly tolerant stance toward the people they helped to liberate; they are convinced that the Zálans will soon understand the ludicrousness of their plan, and fix it accordingly.

In response to diplomatic requests that Braelin withdraw its armies from Zála, Their Majesty Jintaru Riga is complying. However, to many people’s surprise, a significant number of Braelinese soldiers are choosing to take advantage of the recently-passed Citizenship Bill. This bill states that foreigners who have lived continuously in Zála for more than one year may apply for citizenship. Those accepted by a majority vote become fully enfranchised Zálans and must revoke their foreign citizenship.

The kingdom of Obarsza has risen in the north, formed from several provinces the Bloodline Coalition wrested from Serenite control at the end of the war. Its monarch, Ibolya Varga, styles herself Imperatrix Felicián I; and her first official act has been to issue an Emancipation Decree to free all slaves and render slavery illegal throughout Obarsza. She is joined by consort Emil Vastag, with their future children set to inherit the throne.

Finally, the Xirosi continue to assist the people of Hawksworth and Blacknall who have been impacted by the Beast-people’s incursion—with the help of reinforcements from Jintaru Riga’s personal guard. Reports confirm that the joint Xirosi-Caprinan troops have routed the Beast-people, forcing them to retreat all the way to the Paranomos. Each faction has stayed to render aid in the affected territories, but rumor abounds that neither group likes the other, likely due to the significant cultural differences in how they handle the dead.

And so, a tenuous peace holds as old nations struggle to recover and adapt, and new nations attempt to rise and assert themselves. Which will succeed and which fail? How long can this peace last? Will Their Majesty Jintaru Riga manage to sway the Braelinese populace to their side, or are their days on the throne numbered? Only time will tell!